Bed-spring.



S. G. CHATHAM.

BED SPRING.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.13,1913. RENEWED MAY16,1914.

1,121,163. Patented Dec.15,1914.

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'HE NORRIS PETERS c0 PHUTO-LVTHIL, WASHINGYON, D.

SHELDON C. CHATHAM, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BED-SPRIN G.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec; 15, 1914.

Application filed February 13, 1913, Serial No. 743,196. Renewed may 16, 1914. Serial No. 839,150.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SHELDON C. CHAT- rnur, a citizen oi the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State t Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bed-Springs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in spring mattresses.

In Patent No. 1,023,721, granted to me under date of April 16, 1912, I showed means for adjusting or regulating the tension of the bed bottom. Ihe means included rigid radially disposed arms, for

turning the longitudinal rod or tube. A

forked pivoted element was provided to engage a selected radially disposed arm, for positively preventing the accidental rotation of the rod or tube. I have found that this construction presents certain disadvantages, particularly that encountered by the use of the rigid radially disposed arms carried by the lone'itudinal rod or tube. These arms being rigid. extend out beyond the bed bottom and often getin the way, catch in the bed clothes, or the like. In this construction it is necessary to provide a pluralitv of the rigid radially disposed arms.

The present invention relates to an improvement upon this construction, and has for its obiect the provision of a more simpliwhich is free from the disfied construction, advantages encountered in connection with the construction shown and described in my said patent.

In carrying out the present invention, novel means are provided to regulate the tension of the bed bottom. such means also serving to render it possible to readily disconnect the bed bottom from the bed bottom frame, for the purpose of more easily'handling and shipping the bed bottom and bed bottom frame, in their knocked-down condition.

My invention is readily applicable to three-piece beds or the like. By'constructing the device so that it may be readily knocked down, it is obvious that the same may be easily passed through relatively small doors, which are present in a great many apartments. If the device was assembled and could not be knocked down, this could not be done. The bed bottom when disconnected from the bed bottom frame can be folded, and the different parts threaded end extending into of the bed bottom frame disconnected from each other, so that the entire device will occupy the minimum amount of space, for the purpose of shipment.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of one corner of the spline mattress, Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view through the same, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the combined adjusting and locking device, and, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a corner casting or bracket at the opposite end of the rod or tube.

In the drawings, wherein for the sake of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a bed bottom. which may be formed of an open metallic fabric or any other suitable material. bed bottom is connected with a transverse strip 6, whichin turn is connected with coil springs 7, as shown. The outer ends of these coil springs are detachablv connected with an outer transverse strip 3. having connection at each end thereof with a casting or corner bracket 9. as shown. Each casting or corner bracket preterablv comprises a horizontal body portion or tubular socket 10 and an upstanding flange or web 11. as shown. Attention is called to the fact that both ends of the body portion or tubular socket 10 are formed open. as clea lv shown in Fig. 52. It is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the em loyment of a corner bracket or casting ot' the exact sha e or construction shown. It is not essential that the body portion of the bracket should be in the form of an o en ended tubular socket 10. it being suflicient that such bracket or casting should have a body portion through which is formed a horizontal opening extendins. entirely there/through.

The numeral 1?. tubular rod. there being one of these rods upon each side of the bed bottom 5. as is customarv. The rod 12 has one end thereof provided with screw-threads 13. such screwthe body portion or tubular socket 10. The inner wall of the bodv portion or tubular socket 10 is smooth and has no screw-threads, as clearly It is thus seen that the moving longitudinally shown in 2. rod is capable of Each end of this.

i corner castings or brackets 9 may be readily removed from the rod or rods 12, so that the bed bottom frame may be knocked down for the purpose of shipment or the like. The oppositeend of the rod 12 with respect to the screw-threaded end 13 thereof extends intothe body portion or tubular socket 10 of the other corner bracket or casting 9, as shown in Fig. 1. This end of the longitudinal rod 12 is preferably smooth and has no screw-threads. Each end of the rod .12 is provided with a longitudinal groove or slot 14, for receiving a longitudinally extending spline or rib15, formed upon the inner wall of the bore formed through the body portion or tubular socket 10. It is thus seen that means are provided to positively prevent each corner bracket or casting 9 from perceptibly turning upon the rod 12. The spline or ribs 15 serve two very important functions, to wit,-they prevent the longitudinal or side rod 12 from turning within the body portions or sockets 10, when the adjusting nut or sleeve to be referred to, is being manipulated, and second, they prevent each of the corner castings or brackets9 from perceptibly turning upon the longitudinal or side rod 12, when one corner of the bed spring is elevated. Although these splines or ribs 15 have been found to be the preferred means for thus preventing the corner brackets or castings '9 from turning upon the side rod 12, yet the invention is not to be restricted to this construction. 1 may advantageously employ other means for this purpose, such as clamping bolts operating within openings formed through the body portions or tubular sockets 10 and engaging at their inner ends of the rod 12. If such means were not provided, when the corner of the bed spring is elevated or lifted, the spring bottom would be distorted or pulled out, of shape or would sag. Attention is called to the fact that these splines or ribs 15 terminate at the inner free ends of the body portions or It has been found that the tubular longitudinal or. side rods 12, when subjected to very heavy weights, often bend. To overcome this, suitable reinforcing means are provided, consisting of wooden or metal plugs or rods 10 to be inserted in the end of the tubular rod 12. These reinforcing plugs or rods may extend for the entire length of the tubular rod, or may only exbe folded up for the.

the sleeve or nut 17.

to the horizontal position,

tubular sockets 10. v

tend for a suitable distance from the ends thereof. V

The numeral 16 designates a combined adjusting and locking device, comprising a preferably cylindrical sleeye or nut, internally screw-threaded for engagement upon the screw-threaded end 13 of the rod 12. This nut 17 may be made in any other desired shape. This sleeveor nut 17 is provided with a radial extension 18, which is received by the forked end 19 of a swinging lever or handle 20.' The forked end 19 is pivotally connected with the extension 18 by means of a transverse pin 21 or the like. It is thus seen that the lever or handle 20 is free to be swung outwardly and longitu-U dinally of the rod 12 and the sleeve or nut 17, while the lever or rod cannot be swung transversely of the rod 12 without turning The free end of the s lever or handle .20 is adapted to be swung to a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the same will engage the vertical flange or web 11, thus positively preventing the unscrewing movement of the sleeve or nut 17. 1 preferably provide an upstanding lug 22 to engage the opposite side of the lever or handle 20. This lug however may be dispensed with, if desired.

JV hen it is desired to regulate the tension upon the bed bottom 5, the lever or handle 20 is swung to its outer or radial position, I as indicated bythe dotted lines in Fig. 1. The lever will then serve as means whereby the sleeve or nut 17 may be readily turned or rotated. This sleeve or nut 17 slidably engages the inner end of the tubular socket 10, whereby the socket 10 will be moved longitudinally with relation to the rod 12 when the sleeve or nut is turned. When the lever or handle 20 is swung to the horizontal position, shown in Fig. 1, it serves to positively prevent improper rotation of the sleeve .or nut 17. A particular advantage gained in connection with this construction, 11o is that by swinging the l ver or handle 20 thesame will beentirely out of the way and will occupy very little space. It is obvious that by turna ing the, sleeve 17 counter clock-wise, the same will be made to moveinwardly along the screw-threaded end 13 of the rod 12 a sufficient distance to allow the corner bracket or casting 9 to move inwardly sufiiciently, whereby the bed. bottom 5 is slackened' and the springs 7 may be readilydisconnected from the strip 8. When the corner brackets or castings9 are thus moved inwardly the end of the rod 12 may extend outwardly beyond the body portion or tubu: lar socket '10.; y I

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith'shown and described, 1 is to be taken as a preferredexampleof the same, and that certain changes in the 139 shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim r 1. In a device of the character described, a bed bottom, a supporting structure con nected With one end of the bed bottom and adapted to be moved for increasing the tension upon the same, means to move the supporting structure including a screwthreaded rod, an adjusting nut carried thereby, and a lever permanently pivotally connected with the nut and adapted to be swung to a radial position for turning the nut and subsequently to a substantially horizontal position to engage a portion of the supporting structure for preventing accidental rotation of the nut.

2. In a device of the character described, a rod provided \vith screw-threads near one end thereof, a corner bracket including a tubular socket to receive the end of the rod, a bed bottom connected With the corner bracket, an internally screw-threaded sleeve mounted upon the screw-threaded portion of the rod and engaging the inner end of the tubular socket and carrying a radial extension, and a lever having one end forked and pivotally connected With the radial extension of the sleeve so that the same may be swung in longitudinally of the rod, to as sume a radial position for turning the sleeve and a substantially horizontal position to engage the corner bracket for holding the sleeve against accidental rotation.

3. In a device of the character described, a rod having one end thereof screw-threaded, a corner bracket including a tubular socket and a flange, the screw-threaded end of the rod extending into the tubular socket, a second corner bracket including a tubular socket to receive the opposite end of the rod, means carried by the second tubular socket Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by

to prevent the rod from turningupon its substantially horizontal position to engage the flange.

4. In a device of the character described, a side rod, a corner brackethaving an opening formed therethrough for receiving one end of the side rod and adapted to move longitudinally thereof, a bed bottom con nected with the corner bracket, an adjusting nut having screw-threaded engagement with the side rod and adapted to effect the longi-. tudinal movement of the corner bracket in one direction, and a lever pivotally connected with the adjusting nut to be swung to inner and outer positions.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a rod having one end thereof screW-tln'eaded, of a corner bracket mounted upon the screw-threaded end of the rod to move longitudinally thereof, a spline for positively preventing the bracket from turning upon the rod and permitting the same to move freely longitudinally thereof. an element mounted upon the screw-threaded portion of the rod to effect the longitudinal movement of the bracket When the element is rotated, and. a handle pivoted to the element to turn the same.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature presence of two Witnesses.

SHELDON C. GHATHAM.

Witnesses ROBERT MOORE, Jos. R. CUNARD.

addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

